RAM.
First.

I don't care, which test it is.

Its the acceleration test, and clearly the GMC Sierra comes out on top just like with every other test!

I think it's the acceleration test
The Ford is my pick

August 15th just seems so far away all the sudden
Thanks Mike Levine

Now I think it's the braking test and I'm stickin with the Ford

1/4 mile?

I thing guys shouldn't make predictions based on past tests.

InsideLine : #1 GM, #2 Ford, #3 Ram(low output)
Popular Mechanics : #1 Ford, #2 GM, #3 Ram (low output)
TruckTrend : #1 GM, #2 Ford, Did not even test Ram
Diesel Power: #1 Ford and GM tied, #2 Ram (low output)

PUTC - August 15.
We've sen the rest, now we wait for the best!

@ Mike Levine
Is the 2012 GMC still rated @ 397 HP and 765 TQ?

I agree Lou , PUTC is the best!
Can't wait!

I wonder which truck Bob will pick?
I'm guessing the nice red truck ruined by cheap plastic.

Lmao, what's your pick Lou?

damm that dodge looks nice compaired to the other two,i bet the cummins and dodge camo out on top with chevy right behind it but that aint really fair 2012 vs 2011's

@Lou hey dodge won the diesel power magizen test with 39 points ford and chevy ties with 36 points?were you get you info and that was the first test with the H.O cummins because it wasnt out yet,motor trend didnt compair it because dodge didnt release there 2011's yet,the first test with the H.O Ram was in,it won,this is its second test i bet it won or at least came second

This looks like the loaded 1/4 mile drag race.

Previous braking tests were conducted with the load in the bed, and I don't see any skid marks like one would expect from heavy braking. Therefore, I don't believe it to be a braking test.

In the last HD shootout, the 1/4 mile loaded numbers were extremely close when it came to the GMC and the Ford. The GMC won by a tenth of a second, which is about a car length or so. The low output Ram was way behind, but it wouldn't surprise me if the new H.O. version managed to slot in squarely between them. (Which Mike would have found interesting, hence the picture).

Only if they had a lifetime test. Ram would runaway with it. Dam that Ram looks gooood...

It's the line them up and take a picture test!

Even if it doesn't win the shootout, the Ram HD is my choice. It's the only one with both a proven HD power train and a proven HD chassis. I'll trust a Ford when they can prove the new Powerstroke is as reliable as the competition and I'll trust a GM when they prove their front suspension can hold up to real HD work.

I think they should do a lifetime test also but the Dodge will not win. I tow for a living and by talking to other haulers the Dodge would need new ball joints every 65,000 miles. Their transmissions last around 275,000 miles. And the cummins usually last above 500,000 miles but there were numerous cases where it did not. The cummins is the strongest part of the Dodge truck but the rest of the truck is below standards for everyday running.

Lets see... can't be breaking or acceleration- you guys would never be foolish enough to do those side-by-side. It might be an acceleration test, but I would 1. expect the Ford to be faster than the Ram; and 2. It is WAAAAYYY too convenient how perfectly all three trucks are lined up as they passed the photographer. I'm going with AL on this, even if he's wrong about GM's front suspension- guys wouldn't keep buying 'em to put plows on if they didn't hold up just fine.

@Ram
I beleive you are wrong it was not the HO Ram in the test and Chevy and Ford tied for first, they scored it like golf, lower score wins

If you look close at the Gm front wheel it looks like a skid mark. Braking maybe?

@ Jr. GM

How do you know the GM beats the H.O Dodge RAM Diesel,sure GM beats the 650 ftlbs Ram and the Ram wasnt that far behind Ford,some tests it was knocking on the Ford's door with the 650 torque motor....The 800ftlbs Dodge RAM should and hopefully be beside Gumby Motors truck and hopefully it blows it away !

@Al have you been listening to Sam Elliot? The manufacturers only go on about "proven" when they don't have anything new, and the competition does. I guarantee that GM will stop making that claim when its new engines come out, as will Dodge.
Having said that, I am impartial between these three fantastic trucks, and I look forward to seeing the results!

Based on the guy in the background taking photos, it's not the braking test (and there's not enough nose dive). I say it's one of the acceleration tests.

Sometimes I wonder about the people who post on here. They would never do side-by-side brake testing!! Think about it.

@ Greg,

We service a fleet of high mileage Dodge Ram's/Ford/GM trucks and the front end and tranny on Dodge Ram trucks lasts as long or if not longer than Ford or the GM trucks..Many GM and Ford need tranny's at 110,000 miles,so you say Dodge lasts 275,000 miles thats a bonus !!

Remember Ford/GM also have ball joints from the factory with no nipples to grease them,so they need replacement at low miles !! We have done more Ford/GM trucks with lower miles than Dodge trucks !!! And Dodge trucks are everywhere here,out number Ford and GM !!

And remember it depends how you drive them, dont jump with them,fly through pot holes,bumps,curbs you will need ball joints,tie rods ect..Dont drive your truck like the commercials on t.v. I drive my truck slow over speed bumps,rough roads and my personal trucks never needed front end work,even after 300,000 miles !!!!And they still looked and drove like new !! And dont drive them like a journelist they beat on them because they can and its not theirs !!

Obviously the miiddle one won !!

I don't see anyone in the cabs so it ain't acceleration. Maybe the results of a braking test.

And remember it depends how you drive them, dont jump with them,fly through pot holes,bumps,curbs you will need ball joints,tie rods ect..Dont drive your truck like the commercials on t.v. I drive my truck slow over speed bumps,rough roads and my personal trucks never needed front end work,even after 300,000 miles !!!!And they still looked and drove like new !! And dont drive them like a journelist they beat on them because they can and its not theirs !!

That there is the post of the year, i agree, all three truck are good they all have there good and bad points, i feel the biggest problem with trucks and cars are the drivers themselves, good point

From the results of the braking test in the last mag, that was about the way the results were in it. Ford shortest with a load, ram very close and chevy a few feet longer. Plus the cone in the background would be close to the line to apply the brakes if it was a stopping test. Although i agree probably not all at once side by side like that.

Plus that does look like a black mark behind the passenger side front tire of the chevy...

if that is the braking test Ford is 1st, Dodge 2nd, and Chevy is 3rd, but in the rumble in the Rockies Chevy had the best engine brake, but Ford has the best Brakes, interesting, can't wait to read all about it

yeah no doubt this is the braking test. Nobody in the trucks. I'm glad ford won something, but I think the GMC won overall. The GM won last time and I don't believe they changed the ford or gm since the last test. I hope I'm wrong though. I'd take the ford over the other two anyday. The other two are just boring. Maybe cause the cab is just like their half ton siblings. I'd trust the ford for better overall quality in the cab and powertrain as well. Ford has been upping their quality all over the place lately. I think ford wins overall mpg also. On second thought maybe ford outperformed overall. I care much more about braking and mpg than acceleration. It's not like any of them are underpowered.

Chevy has already ran a commercial last weekend that they won the shootout but I haven't seen that commercial again sense. Maybe chevy jumped the gun on announcing it.

Although I'm a Ford guy, GMPUT.com hangs on everything that the GM twins do well. And I know they love the "simpleness" of a striaght six in a diesel, or at least their writing sure seems to lean that way. So therefor my prediction is they will finish how pictured.

The trucks are just lined up for the pic. I bet they took the pic then did the test, or vise versa.

This is obviously the"Sit in the cab with the A/C off" test.

I think this test is for laughs at the office so the boys at Pickuptrucks.com can get a laugh. If not it's to see wich truck holds its load the best or maybe see which truck's cabin gets hottest.

Brake Test!

We all know who I like, but I am rooting for RAM.

Go RAM! Love that TRUCK!

Ram - relax. They had it worded poorly.
The Ram won. Great. It was close
GM/Ford tied at 36.
Ram 39
I did point out that each test was with the low output Cummins not the new HO.
I do expect to see the new Ram Cummins do much better in the shootout.

I think Nick is right. I did get the impression that it was the lowest score that won.

@Jessman - The HD's are a very close group. I like the Ram HD Cummins the best. The engine is proven. The truck looks great. I like the feel of their engine brake, it reminds me of an old school Jake brake.
I'm not a fan of GMC(as a corporation)even though I do like the Sierra. I don't like the nose on the Ford. I like the painted bezel better. Not as much in your face chrome. The engine in the Ford is too new for me to be comfortable with it.

I'd like to see Ram win. Kinda an underdog type of thing.

@Heavy Duty Mechanic - it all depends on where you work, live and/or drive. I know tons of loggers who'd be laughing there asses off about what you said, if you have a 2 hour drive on a gravel road to get to your logging show - no one, I mean no one is going to drive at 20 mph and slow down to a crawl everytime they see a pothole. Sure they back off for the big stuff - but a truck needs to hold up.

In the last 5 years I've gone from seeing mostly Ford and GM/Chev HD's to mostly Ford and Ram HD's. I rarely ever see a HD diesel GM work truck.
Canadian sales show Ram #2 in sales and according to Ram's press releases - the Cummins HD is #1 in HD sales. That is interesting. I think what has helped Ram is the whole DEF thing. My brother knows many guys who don't like the idea of DEF and have either held onto their old trucks or changed brands. It will be interesting to see what happens when Ram goes to DEF on all of their diesels. There are hardcore old school guys who must have a manual transmission. I know guys who take a hard look at that as well. My brother would always order his company trucks with a stick until the bean counters said auto only (better resale). I suspect that when Ram brings out the 8 speed auto the manual will go the way of the Dodo bird.

Why Ford can win the HD Hurt Locker Test:

- Flat acceleration testing with a trailer: Ford was only 0.1 seconds behind GM during the pickuptrucks.com shootout using the job 1 Ford truck. If the test was longer the Ford truck would have overtaken GM.

- Hill climb: Ford was the fastest up the hill during the 7% grade hill climb test using the job #1 Ford truck. Davis Dam is an average 5% grade.

- Ford job 3 truck was never properly tested

- varied and more normal elevations from 500 to 11,000 ft used over a longer distance 2000 miles (not just a short 7 mile run at 11,000 ft that Chevy tested for in the "Rigging" in the Rockies)

- Ford had the best fuel economy towing

- Ford had the best best fuel economy combined

I'm going with Ford to win overall.

@Matt -
I thought that the "question the integrity of the journalists" excuses would come out after the test!

Is anyone's life going to end if their favorite brand looses?
(Other than Bob, that is.)

@Lou, Matt: I'll share this quote I received in an e-mail from a Ram engineer who was with us during testing:

"I was extremely impressed with the professionalism and concern you showed to conduct the tests fairly."

I have it on good word from Oxi that the HD Hurt Locker was won by the Tacoma.

@Mike - I have no doubts at all. It must be very frustrating to have one's integrity challenged.

On a different note - who won the last Diesel Power shootout?
It did seem ambiguous. Thanks.
As always great job.

The Urea tank location on the GMC looks silly .

@smtrthnu - yes. Leave it to Deaver ;)

What is that big 'ole thing under the passenger door of the GMC? Is that the DEF Tank?

Ground clearance of DEF tanks should also be measured.

Lowest hanginig tank loses.

lol yes frank you probably have to pull the cab off the ford to find or fix the def just like everything else on a powerstroke since 2003 x)

You're absolutely correct to question why the Sierra and Silverado scored so far apart when they had identical powertrains.

We were very tough with our performance grades, giving 6-down-to-1 points awarded based on how they placed in tests like the quarter-mile. This is where the Sierra fell short.

The Sierra was last in the autocross (ride, handling, stability control) when the Silverado finished first. It was also last in 60 to 0 mph braking, when the Silverado finished third. The Tundra also beat the Sierra in the quarter-mile unloaded and hill climb tests, so it placed third to Silverado for those two tests.

I'll reiterate that we ran each test a minimum of three times in each truck with the same driver. Instrumentation and results were administered by Ricardo Inc.

The Sierra apparently had a bad day.

Posted by: Mike Levine | Nov 14, 2008 3:57:36 PM

I believe the same will happen again. The Sierra will have a bad day just like it did in the half ton shootout. Much to everyone's surprise, GM will come up short on game day and have a bad day.